[Roleplaying] Turn 1, 2525 Terra - Allied Council, Geneva

[Dave Baughman]

Stone Hall
Geneva, Switzerland
Terra
2 January 3090

Victor Ian Steiner-Davion had worn many hats in his life; Archon-Prince, Commanding General of the Star League, Precentor Martial of ComStar. Now, he wore the ash-colored uniform of Devlin Stone's Army - an army that he now lead as David Lear's second in command.

It was a cold, windy morning on the provisional Terran capital when Victor trudged into Stone Hall - formerly TerraSec's regional command post - to face the Allied Council once again, and he did not relish what was to come.

For better or worse, Devlin Stone's mission had stalled, caught up in a political tug-of-war between the various Allied states. Stone's own plan had called for the Republic to have been formally established years ago, but instead the Word of Blake Protectorate stood in legal limbo, and occupied state ruled by a patchwork of provisional and military governments. Terra herself was a crazy-quilt of occupation zones and 'autonomous territories' answering not to Geneva but to their local commanders.

Approaching the heavy doors to the Allied Council chambers, Victor returned the salute of the guards, one of whom opened the door for him. And then... he was standing before the crescent-shaped table that empanneled the Allied representatives. Victor cleared his throat,

"Friends," he said - despite the fact that more than a few of the delegates nothing of the sort, "I hope you all enjoyed the new year celebrations. I wish we could have spent more time in recess, but we have still not formally decided the provisional government's spending priorities for 3090. Also, there is the small matter of setting a binding timetable for the transition to self-rule and the establishment of the Republic."

(OOC: And... we're off. The promised RP background briefing will be getting posted tonight, I just have to research a couple of minor points. In the meanwhile, feel free to introduce your representative on Terra and/or do any backstory QA by way of grilling Victor.

Note -- all of the player controlled factions are presumed to have been part of the Allied war effort during the Jihad, even if they do not have an occupation zone in the WOB protectorate, so all player controlled factions can have a representative here, unless you choose to be absent)

[Aleksandr]

"That will prove troublesome, I am afraid. No solid timeline can be established yet - we are severely hampered by the staggering inefficiency of the Sphereoid-style economies these worlds hold to, and have only recently exterminated the last major resistance group within our Occupation Zone."

The silver haired old woman smirked at Victor as she spoke, folding her arms across her white dress uniform - bearing the rank insignia of the Loremaster of Clan Wolf. At 65 years old, Katya Kerensky was quite likely the oldest person in the room, though perhaps not the most scarred. The prosthetic leg she had received in the course of the Trial of Annihilation against the Word of Blake was hidden in most cases, and only a slight limp in her walk indicated any sort of leg injury. In all, she had managed to age quite well, for a Clan Warrior.

"In fact, General Victor, it was the very same disciplinary measures that you so stringently opposed that brought these insurgents to their end. Do you still believe that executing Blakist insurgents is not the most effective means of policing these worlds, or  are you prepared to listen to reason?"

[Dave Baughman]

Victor shook his head in dismay, "Loremaster Kerensky, I know it is your way to brook no rebellion from those you rule. I also cannot deny that the frequency of insurgent attacks in your sector has diminshed. Truly though, have you no pity for those you rule? Surely we cannot punish the common people for the actions of the Word of Blake, or the dead-end holdouts who continue to fight us and still hope that they will see us as anything other than the next wave of brutal conquerors."

Victor looked to the other delegates and for a moment it seemed that he was about to adress the Federated Suns' representative, but he turned his gaze back to Katya Kerensky, "Still, our purpose here is not simply to argue back and forth to no end. I am willing, as you say, to listen to reason, though it will ultimately be the responsibilty of this chamber to accept or reject any proposed course of action. What is it you propose?"

[GreyJaeger]

"In fact, General Victor, it was the very same disciplinary measures that you so stringently opposed that brought these insurgents to their end. Do you still believe that executing Blakist insurgents is not the most effective means of policing these worlds, or  are you prepared to listen to reason?"

"The reason such methods are not generally used is because history has shown that either the ruling power then uses such tactics against any who speaks out against it, or the citizens use the situation to settle old scores against their neighbors." The response came from the Lyran representative, Adelina Marcosa, Countess of Lamon. The Countess continued in her slight Italian accent.

"How many of these, insurgents, are actually Blakist in origin or allegiance, and how many are simply protesting against harsh treatment? In which leads to brutal crackdowns, which leads to otherwise peaceful individuals to become insurgents against the rule of what they see as a brutal, foreign power Loremaster Kerensky. The whole situation turns into a vicious cycle. Where is the line to be drawn?"

"The truth is, many of the citizens of the now defunct Protectorate, do not wish to become citizens of this Republic. As much as many of wish to deny, this Republic is just another attempt to resurrect the Terran Hegemony. The Hegemony died out, just like tens of thousands of other nations over the millenniums of human history. The Lyran Commonwealth has had to keep many families apart who were separated due to the Jihad. We have had to deny the immigration of millions who do not wish to join Stone's Republic, due to the measures some of us were 'persuaded' to accept. With this situation, many nations have not been able to focus on rebuilding their shattered realms. Revenues for the upkeep of troops being forced to occupy what just 20 years ago were their fellow citizens. For five years now we have been at a deadlock. However, it seems this council seems to be content to allow the staus quo of deadlock to continue."

"Regardless of my previous statement, as long as we have to continue with this farce, the Lyran Commonwealth moves that any Blakist insurgents captured be turned over to Coalition troops, where they will be detained until tried and sentenced." 

[Dave Baughman]

"Countess Lamon, I understand that the Lyran Commonwealth made many sacrifices during the war, many of which were very unpopular with your people," said Ragnar Magnusson - saKhan of the Ghost Bears, "but they were sacrifices that needed to be made. Let us not dwell on the past but on the future."

"The debate on whether or not the Republic of the Sphere should be a new Terran Hegemony is a valid one, but it is not one that can be had until we have dealt with the Word of Blake's 'Werewolf' groups. You are correct to say that many of our charges do not wish to become citizens of the Republic; many wish to return to their ancestral successor states or to simply be left alone to determine their own futures. Were those the only avenues of dissent, I might be tempted to indulge them, but we must come to grips with the fact that the vast majority of the inhabitants of the Word of Blake Protectorate wish to return to Blakist rule."

"That cannot be allowed to occur, under any circumstances. The immediate obstacle to de-Blakification, if you will, is the insurgency. Loremaster Kerensky has proposed one method, and her method seems to be working. Does anyone else on the council have an alternative? I would propose that even if you are uncomfortable with taking harsh steps against the enemy population, if the only alternative is to do nothing then we should follow Katya Kerensky's course."

Magnusson frowned, "Make no mistake," he added, "I know well the dynamics of underground resistance, and I know the strategic risks that mass retaliation brings with it, but we cannot simply ignore the thread and we must not delude ourselves into granting some sort of moral relativism to the Werewolves simply because they are fighting to defend what they regard as their homes. Their home does not exist any more - the Word of Blake Protectorate is a thing of the past. They are fighting only to prevent - through terror and violence - the completion of Devlin Stone's dream. We, who have sworn to carry forward that vision the wake of Stone's passing, must never waver or tire in our goal until we have torn down the insanity of Blakism once and for all."

[ingaofborg]

Petra Ott, the Jade Falcon saKhan, cleared her throat.  "The Jade Falcons see no reason to grant the Werewolves anything more than the same consideration we would grant common criminals.  They may consider themselves freedom fighters, but they endanger the lives of our citizens, and that cannot be tolerated.  They must be dealt with quickly, decisively, and permanently.

"Moreover, the Jade Falcons feel that we must be able to levy taxes on the citizens of our protectorate.  In order to effectively govern these regions – which pose a unique set of challenges – it is necessary to raise funds.  Does anyone have any objections to this, quiaff?"

[GreyJaeger]

 "saKhan Ott, many of these 'criminals' are not your citizens. You are simply occupiers. Your predecessors said the same thing about the citizens of the conquered territories during your Operation:Revival. Anyone who did not immediately bow to your ways were branded as criminals and subjected to brutality. It is no different situation now. Tell me, do you not still have issues with insurgencies in your Occupation Zones from your Invasion of the Inner Sphere?" Giving a moment to look at each Clan representative at the council and allowing them a chance to affirm or deny the statement. Countess Lamon knew that massive amounts on intel was gathered by resistance movements, and that these groups still make trouble for Clan Wolf and Jade Falcon. "Certainly their operations are not as public and demonstrative, however they are much more effective. What brutal occupiers throughout history have not learned, is that brutality may make nine out of ten compliant, but the one who is not, is much more dangerous. That one will join with another one, and another one and before long, you have an effective and dangerous group. But, then again, you know this, but are generally too stubborn to anything but stay the course."

Countess Lamon now turned her intense, hazel eyes towards the Ghost Bear. "saKhan Magnusson, who says the Lyran Commonwealth is doing nothing about this..insurgency? We are simply trying a different tact. We are using a modified version of how we dealt with the Free Skye movement. Yes, we have had to deal with them for a long time, but have they had much success? On occasion, yes, the assassination of Melissa Steiner being their greatest victory, but otherwise, their efforts have been futile. I should also point out, that after the death of Melissa Steiner, the price Free Skye paid was great indeed. Their operations were disrupted for years, and if it was not for other problems getting in the way, Free Skye would probably be dead by now."

"What exactly is Devlin Stone's dream? If it was simply to break the Blakists, he would not have taken the steps he did. He was just like any other power-hungry megalomaniac. He was using the Blakists as his excuse to build his own kingdom. Tell me saKhan Magnusson, you seem so ready to condemn my nation's challenging of Stone and his motives, but what if your nation was faced with the same situation as was the Commonwealth's? What if Stone told you to give over hundred of millions of your citizens to your bitterest enemies, otherwise he would let billions of your people die slowly to hunger and disease? That was the choice the Commonwealth had to make saKhan, so forgive us for not seeing Stone as nothing better than the monsters he opposed."

"The Lyran Commonwealth opposes the Falcon's motion to levy taxes on the former Protectorate territories. The monies raised will not go towards the administration of the occupied territories, but towards participating nation's general funds."

[Mekorig]

Enrique Carminii, the Taurian Concordat representative to the Allied Council mused his options while the other representative argued. His post there was precarious at best, thanks to Grover short sightedness during the Jihad. Yes, the Taurian concordat played the Word`s puppet for a long time, and pay the price for it, but non theless do its part to the end the Blakist`s curse. The 1st Taurian Lancers non-existance was a proof of that.

"Councilmen, the situation here is simple. These worlds were in a past age the Terran Hegemony, a established country, no matter what its actions were. The Amaris War shattered this realm, but what killed was greed. A type of greed that denied this people of their national identity as their worlds were occupied for hundred of years. Now enter the Blakist, that even in their insanity, they bring something to this people, something they almost forgot, a sense of belonging to their motherland. Now we are the occupier, rebuilding these worlds after a cruel and long war. Stone was right in his idea of bringing a new nation to birth. saKhan Ott, and other Councilman, if you began to treat the worlds on your occupation zones and your personal playgrounds, you will repeat the sins of the past, and keep with this vicious circle. Insteat, we must prepare these people for freedom, and let them choose: Want they to rule themselves, or be ruled by foreign powers?"

He quickly cleared his troath, and added:

"Remember something, the human spirit craves for freedom, and no occupier will be able to quench this passion. If you truly want peace in the Human Sphere, give this people freedom."

[Dave Baughman]

"Countess," said Victor, "Stone is gone. Hero or monster, he was the only one who was able to unite all of our nations against the Word of Blake. Regardless of the sacrifices he demanded from many of us in this room... indeed regardless of the sacrifices he forced many of us to make, here we are - we succeeded because he was able to press us to make those hard decisions."

"I believe that Representative Carminii is correct - if we do not eventually erect a new, independent nation in the Terran Corridor, we risk a repeat of the Succession Wars. Humanity barely survived the first four, can we truly afford to risk another four?"

"That said, Countess, I am curious to hear in more detail your counterinsurgency plan. I have had... some experience with the old Federated Commonwealth's Skye Strategy, and I am interested to hear how you would adapt that plan to deal with the Werewolves. I'm sure the other councilors would as well."

[Aleksandr]

"I believe saKhan Ott's plan has some merit - we certainly cannot hope to help the areas we currently occupy recover with our own funding, given the necessity of rebuilding our own territories. We must levy a tax on occupied territories, but use that funding to rebuild and maintain the areas - in essence, they shall pay for their own recovery."

"If there is to be an independent nation in this region, it will be many decades before it is ready for true independence. The state of these worlds - even this world we stand on - are horrifyingly poor. Left alone, they will surely flounder and die. It is well and good to say that the neighboring states and Clans can support them, but let us face it: It is not in anyone's interest to strengthen their neighbor, and if there is something to be learned by the recent Trial of Annihilation, it is that self-interest drives the Inner Sphere."

The Wolf Loremaster paused a moment, shifting her gaze back to the Lyran. "I do agree with the General, however - I am most interested to hear how you propose to deal with these bandits."

[Parmenion]

A rumbling off to one side made those near enough to hear, pause.  Slowly the old man sat up and spoke.

"The Taurian, much to my surprise, has the right of it.  These were the former worlds of the Terran Hegemony and the First Star League.  Continue the progression of the worlds from Blakist rule to a nation able to self-govern.  Yet at the same time, know full well the folly of letting the leash loose too soon."  James Cobb, former Khan of the Hell's Horses paused before continuing on.  "The Horses will support the eventual establishment of a new Terran Hegemony government.  A government I would hope free of the factional lines already developing within the various occupied sectors."

[Mekorig]

 Enrique waited until the Wolf and Horse Clan representative ended, and added:

"Loremaster Kerensky", pronuncing that lastname produced some disgust that Enrique quickly hide, "there was an old saying in Terra. Tax without representation tends to create rebellions. In any case, this body, no each of the ocupping forces, can gather and manage the taxes produced by this worlds to use those funds on upgrading their shattered infraestructure."

[Dave Baughman]

Ragnar Magnusson nodded as the discussion turned back to saKhan Ott's taxation measure, "I must agree with saKhan Ott on the issue of revenue. The Rasalhague Dominion's economy was pressed far beyond its breaking point by the war against the Word of Blake, and recovery has been slow."

"I agree with Loremaster Kerensky and Representative Carminii that we should establish a taxation regime to allow the Protectorate worlds to pay for their own occupation - and I agree with the Representative on the dangerous of unaccountable taxation. I trust, however, that Doctor Lear and General Steiner-Davion will continue to speak for the interests of the Protectorate worlds."

"I have taken the liberty of calling a vote on the matter (ooc - see the separate vote thread) so we can settle the council's position on this matter."

Victor looks at the proposal as it appeared on his noteputer and blanches slightly, "saKhan Magnusson," said the General, "this proposal would seriously set back SHAFT's* rebuilding efforts. I understand that the war and subsequent occupation have taxed your own resources, but if we take this course we will be causing not-insignificant hardship for the people under our rule."

Magnusson nodded in assent, "I agree that this will be a bitter pill for the people of the Protectorate to swallow, but they are not innocent in this matter. They chose to support the Word of Blake during the sixties, and they choose to harbor the Werewolves today - neccessitating a substantialy military committment on the part of the Allies. It is only fair they pay for the service we are providing them, quiaff?"


*SHAFT: Supreme Headquarter, Allied Forces Terra -- the provisional military government established by Devlin Stone's Army in Prefecture X.

[Aleksandr]

"Additionally, it is not in the interests of any occupying power to allow the worlds under their control to languish in ruins. It will breed more bandit attacks and prove an immense drain on their resources - necessity and practicality will see to the honesty of those who receive these funds."

[icchan]

"And yet at the same time, many of our own worlds 'languish in ruins' as well - to whom do we as leaders owe our rebuilding the most?  Our own citizens, as much as they may have been ignored by the government?"

The former Syrtis Fusiliers colonel sneered slightly.  His own accounts of the war, including the interference from New Avalon that had cost Operation Sovereign Justice so dearly, had put the blame squarely on the feet of New Avalon.  With Yvonne torn so many ways in her own realm, it hadn't been hard for Angela Hasek to seed Colonel Gerard into the position.  Political expediency made his position somewhat vulnerable, but as long as Young, Stupid, and Directable needed the support of the Capellan March, it was secure.  And with the Filtvelters having been allowed to secede, well, there were enough murmurings against Yvonne Steiner-Davion that her own position was a lot less secure than his.

"We tax our own people heavily.  Sixty of our worlds, more than any other nation, were shattered in the war.  Three fourths of our economy goes to keeping the survivors alive and maintaining a toehold on these planets.  Billions survive on the brink.  And some of you suggest that we extend free service to rebuild the worlds of Stone's Republic first?  He had a plan for this Republic of his.  He and his friends," he said, with no direct sign that he personally counted Victor among that group of dreamers and buffoons, "must have seen the destruction early on.  It's been twenty three years since the war began, and only eight since he died.  Or did he think that the rest of us would simply give out of the goodness of our hearts?"

"No.  If we are to rebuild those worlds, if we're the ones made responsible for them - a move which I personally support, by the way - then we must be allowed to reincorporate them under the original governments they served before this whole war began.  And to tax them and treat them as normal citizens or subjects or whatever," he allowed with a wave to the other realms' representatives.

"And I might suggest that the current occupying forces be integrated into the militaries of the various governments that lead them.  No peacekeeper is better than the locals, the ones that are already there - and I'm sure you're quite aware that the incorporation of those forces into standing house militaries will prevent the sorts of privateering and banditry you rightly fear."